Mind Games
by bekah-lauren'.D
Summary: Naomi wants Morganville, but for that she needs Claire. Can her friends get her back or will Naomi succeed? Plenty of Shane vs. Myrnin drama :
1. Chapter 1

**So this is the beginning of my second Fanfic. I'm still fairly new to this all, so apologies if I do anything wrong. :D Also, unashamed promotion of my other story, Guilty, still not finished, but what the heck, I'll start this anyway, and it's been burning a hole in my mind.**

**If you would, leave a review; that would be wonderful.**

**Claire's POV**

She felt so stupid. She knew that working late was a bad idea, especially after Amelie had changed the rules. Hunting was allowed, and previous promises were void. A new kind of protection was emerging, but this one was a lot more dangerous than the original version. And it offered no promises, no security.

No rules.

Basically, you offered up your blood, body and soul in one binding, lifelong contract, and in return, your immediate family were offered minimal protection. But even that was safer than being without these days. Claire shuddered in the chill of the late evening, and picked up her pace, trying to seem as though she wasn't running, but still fast enough to get home before total darkness. Older vamps would be able to come out this early, and nothing said 'bite me' better than a fleeing human, and a small one at that.

Claire liked to think that some vampires might not eat her, given her role in killing Magnus. But she knew deep down that her truce with the fanged variety was probably over, and no one really cared anymore. She'd done her job, and now she was useless.

Claire was so panicked by the time she was turning onto Lot Street that her she heard the footsteps behind her before they were close enough to be a problem. It nearly saved her life.

Claire lurched forward in a sudden sprint racing her stalker to her house. Glass House was so_ close_, and she made it to the front gate before her time ran out and her attacker smacked into her back, sending her crashing to the ground.

Claire screamed a short siren before a cold hand clapped across her mouth, silencing her. She couldn't see who was on top of her in the gathering darkness but it didn't really matter. Any minute now and she'd be dead, and Shane, Eve and Michael would never know what happened.

Shane.

Claire's heart pounded in her chest and she redoubled her efforts to shift her attacker. They hadn't bitten her yet, she could still get away.

A deep throaty and horribly familiar chuckle made ice lock her muscles together.

"Jason?" she mumbled around the hand.

"Surprise, Claire." He whispered in her ear. He smelt like he'd lapsed back into his old habit of not showering, and Claire shuddered at how close he was.

Jason leant forward and licked Claire's neck just above where her pulse was strongest. Claire squirmed, pleading with her eyes. Jason had never hurt her before, not really. Threatened, sure, but he'd never followed through. Claire didn't want to know what had made him change his mind, but despite it all, she felt sorry for him.

He hadn't deserved this.

Jason hauled her up to her feet, and then lifted her into his arms, juggling her to keep his hand firmly over her mouth. Damn him and his sudden attention to detail.

Claire struggled and squirmed but she couldn't get free. Jason as a human had been bad enough, but Jason as a _vampire_ was even worse, and definitely strong enough to keep Claire still without hurting her. Because even though he was carrying her away into the night, he wasn't hurting her.

Claire didn't know what to think about that, so she didn't think about it at all.

_Focus_, she thought, y_ou can do this_. Claire wriggled some more, and felt her back pocket vibrate with a text. Jason hadn't noticed. Claire's mind ticked over as her phone began vibrating violently with a call. Slowly she relaxed into Jason's arms, letting her eyes flutter shut as if she was blacking out. Her arm dropped to her side, next to her pocket, and ten after a few seconds, Jason let go of her mouth.

Claire pressed the answer button and prayed that it was Shane on the other end, and screamed at the top of her lungs

"Help! Jason got me, and-"

Jason's hand clapped back over her mouth and he dropped her to the ground. Claire let out a pained squeak as she hit the floor and felt her phone break as she landed on it. She hoped that whoever had rang her had heard her, that help was on its way, but the small unhelpful voice in the back of her head told her that even if it had been Shane, and he, Eve and Michael were at the door, weapons ready, she hadn't actually told them were she was or anything useful for that matter. She would just have to hope that Jason would let her go.

Right now, it didn't seem likely.

It seemed to take forever, but that was probably because Claire was injured now and being dropped on top of a phone most defiantly hurt. A sleek black car with tinted windows drew up beside them, and the back door opened. Jason shoved Claire inside ahead of him, keeping his hand securely over her mouth. He really wasn't taking any chances, and Claire wasn't very happy about that.

She blinked fast, her eyes adjusting slowly to the gloom inside the car. It pulled away from the curb and Claire got the sinking feeling that she would never see her friends again. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and blurred the vampire sitting in front of her. Claire blinked them away; tears wouldn't help her, and then focused on her kidnapper. Shit.

Naomi.

Naomi smiled and it was as beautiful as it was terrifying. Ice was warmer, and even Jason seemed to shrink back in his seat a little.

"Do not fear, child. You are of little consequence to me. Merely a means of getting what I want. If you do as you are told, and are helpful to me, then I shall allow you and your friends to live. If not…well, you won't be disobedient for long."

Naomi smiled again, and Claire wondered how she'd ever trusted the woman. She was so cold and uncaring, and Claire wondered if she had ever been human at all.

"What do you want, Naomi?" Claire was grateful that she sounded a lot stronger than she felt. Weakness was something she couldn't afford here.

"Simply your compliance. And perhaps an alliance, should events not take place as they were planned. But first, I require you to call your Myrnin. I need him to do something for me."

Naomi sat back against her seat, her posture perfect and refined like the royalty she was. Claire felt like ice was being poured down her back. She knew that Naomi could influence people, humans and vampires, and she knew that she really didn't have much of a choice but she had to try.

It wasn't as if Myrnin was going to do as he was told anyway. He was older than Amelie and the only reason he was let _her_ tell him what to do was because he liked her. He wasn't exactly going to just follow Naomi's, and much less Claire's, orders.

Jason handed her a phone, and looked they locked gazes. Jason's brown eyes so similar to Eve's were wide and crazy and Claire couldn't help but feel another round of pity for him. He probably didn't have much of a choice in any of this either.

"Just do as she says, Claire. No heroics and you'll be fine. She's going to win anyway." He said under his breath. Claire knew that Naomi would be able to hear so she said nothing. She had absolutely no plans to do as she was told but…but…Claire's mind ticked over a white blank.

She had known, of course, that Naomi could control people, that she could play on their already existing emotions to make them do what she wanted them to, but she hadn't been prepared for _this_.

It was like a shadow in her mind. She could feel herself slipping, and she couldn't fight it. She couldn't remember what…what she was supposed to do. What was going on? What was she doing here? Her fear swallowed her, her heart pounded hard and fast in her chest, and Claire was ultra-aware of every detail in the car. She felt Jason shift beside her and her panic swelled. Claire scooted as far away from him as she could, cramming herself into the furthest corner away from all the vamps.

Then she remembered the phone in her hand. Call Shane, she thought. No, wait. _Call Myrnin_. Myrnin would save her; she really needed to call him before the vamps took the phone away. Her hand shook violently as she dialled his number. The dialling tone rang in her ear, every beep heightening her fear_. Please answer me_, she thought.

"Hello? To whom am I speaking?"

Claire felt a surge of relief. She was safe now, she'd completed her task. Almost_. Say something_.

"Myrnin" she said, breathless with relief.

"Claire? Are you-"

A cold hand plucked the phone from her fingers, and the shadow that had been in Claire's mind left her, leaving her feeling as if she'd suddenly been plunged into cold water.

"Listen very carefully. I have Claire and I will kill her if you do not give me what I want. I will be arriving at your…laboratory shortly. Ensure you are alone and tell no one of this, or little Claire will suffer. Are we understood?"

Naomi snapped the phone shut, but Claire barely noticed. The game had suddenly gotten a lot bigger and she couldn't be sure that she would come out of it alive.

**Shane's POV**

I rang Claire again. I knew she didn't like it when I got too protective, but she was half an hour late and it was getting dark outside. The phone rang, and rang and rang and my insides started to tighten. Something wasn't right.

I heard the phone connect, and for a second I felt relieved. Then I heard the screaming.

"Help! Jason's got me and-"the phone disconnected with a harsh bleep but I was already moving.

"Michael! Eve! Jason's got Claire, we need to _move_!"

I grabbed the weapons bag that we left by the door for times like this. I had hoped, when I'd put it there, that I wouldn't need it. Eve clattered down the stairs, a similar bag already in one hand, and a wicked sharp stake in the other. Michael blurred through from the living room holding a silver knife with a leather bound handle that Eve had given him. We were ready in 20 seconds but it wasn't enough. I burst out the door to see a black vamp car pull up at the end of the street and Jason shove Claire inside before it sped away.

I felt like my heart was being torn in two because I hadn't been able to stop it.

Because I'd failed her _again_.

**Myrnin's POV**

I could hear a strange beeping noise coming from the pocket of my lab coat as I fed dead flies to Bob. It didn't stop for a while so I got up and went to see what it was.

Ah, I remembered now, the mobile phone that Claire had given me. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea why I had kept it, besides the fact that it was a gift from Claire. I only ever used it to contact her, and she usually ignored me anyway.

I pressed the little green button and answered, wondering who on earth might be calling me at this hour.

"Hello? To whom am I speaking?" I asked politely. I disliked technology, and though these mobile phone thingies were marvellous to take apart, they were much less fun to talk through.

"Myrnin"

The relief in Claire's voice made me hopeful- I'd heard her use that tone with her human boy before. I missed Claire when she wasn't around. She shone so brightly it made the world seem dim when she left. Recently I'd found myself becoming more and more attached to her. I knew it wasn't safe, especially for her, but I couldn't help myself.

But Claire had only just left, and I knew that there were very few reasons why she would call _me_. Something was wrong.

"Claire? Are you- is something wrong?"

I didn't get the answer I'd wanted. Naomi's dispassionate voice drifted to me from the tinny speakers of the device, and I felt my insides go colder than they already were.

"Listen very carefully. I have Claire and I will kill her if you do not give me what I want. I will be arriving at your…laboratory shortly. Ensure you are alone and tell no one of this, or little Claire will suffer. Are we understood?"

I couldn't help but agree. I knew what Naomi would want from me, and I knew that Amelie, were she here, would forbade me from giving it. But it was _Claire_ that she was threatening. _My_ Claire.

I had to try. For her, I _had_ to.

**So there you go. The next chapter will have more of the plot in it, and perhaps a couple of struggles over Claire between Myrnin and Shane.**

**Please leave a review so I know if I should continue. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Myrnin's POV**

He didn't know what to do.

Myrnin paced a path in the dirty floor of his lab, his mind whirling with the myriad of possibilities, weighing up the risks and the likely outcomes but it wasn't _enough_. Frustration got the better of him, and he turned, up ending a table and kicking a chair across the room into a bookshelf. Neither the crash of the heavy furniture nor the tinkle of the broken glass did anything to calm him.

Strangely, he thought of Claire. Why wasn't she here? And where was Ada? His fangs slid down in his mouth and he felt his eyes swirl with a murky red. The threat against him was making his doubtable sanity falter, bringing back the old fears. He couldn't do this; else he wouldn't be of help to anyone.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sat down abruptly on the hard stone floor, and forced himself to focus. Naomi was coming, and that she would kill Claire if he didn't comply was entirely true. With anyone else he might have doubted it, but Naomi had a coldness in her that disturbed him. She came from a time where politics meant murder, and she seemed to have bought into it wholeheartedly.

But what she was asking of him was impossible! He could not, _would_ not, sacrifice his queen. They had been through too much for it all to end now. That and he doubted Naomi would have quite the same appreciation for his work.

But he couldn't kill Claire. He couldn't do it when Amelie had instructed him to, and he couldn't do it now. Perhaps it was the fact that she was so small and young and innocent that abhorred him to harm her.

But mostly it was because there probably would never be another quite as brilliant as Claire, and to waste such potential was sickening to him.

This didn't help him save himself however. Time was dwindling and his chances of survival were ticking away with the seconds. Naomi was taking a great risk coming here, moving actively against Amelie. This meant she had a plan. Therefore…well, it couldn't hurt to ruin it _slightly_, could it?

Myrnin strode over to the machine, purpose speeding his motions as the technicalities of the plan unfolded in his mind. His hands worked fast, rewiring the circuit and altering the function to pinpoint the destination. There. That should buy him some time, certainly.

But would it be _enough_, that was the question. The likelihood of Naomi coming alone was slim- but there were very few vampires who would side with her willingly, unless under compulsion or threats. That could be either an advantage or a disadvantage: they could either be sluggish and befuddled or motivated and determined. That variable at least, Myrnin couldn't change. He would need back up, but how to call for help without _actually_ calling for help?

Half a second later, brilliance struck.

"Frank!" Myrnin shouted. He knew he didn't have to, but it was fun. And it bothered Frank. See? A win/win situation.

Frank's two dimensional greyscale figure began to form at the back of the lab, and for a brief moment, Myrnin saw Ada and his un-beating heart soared. Then Frank's face settled into a scowl and Myrnin felt the original grief all over again. It never ended, this internal torment. Never.

"What? And you know you don't have to shout, you give me a headache with all your noise."

"For that, you would of course require a head, which you don't have. Where is your son?"

"Now, why would you want Shane?" Suspicion was thick in Frank's voice. He knew all too well of Myrnin's dislike of Shane, and though he hadn't ever been a good father, he was trying now, a little.

Myrnin didn't care. "Tell me where he is now. That is an _order_. Morganville is threatened and I need to contain it, before Naomi gets too far. I need your Shane for this to work so you _will_ call him, and you _will_ summon him here, is that understood? Because rest assured if we fail in this, there will be far worse than I for your son to compete with."

Frank glared at him, but nodded once, before disappearing again.

Myrnin felt the agitation begin to get to him. He started pacing again, then stopped and began placing different weapons around the room. Then he put on his lab coat and bunny slippers. He needed to appear unthreatening. Reason may still yet be the weapon of choice, he reminded himself. Not that reason had ever come naturally to him- that was Claire's job.

Ah, Claire. Myrnin shook his head and smiled fondly, for a moment finding the tense predicament he was in amusing. Claire always did manage to be in the middle of it. Never before had he ever met anyone quite so troublesome.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. He'd met her once, and he'd killed her twice. Ada's ghost never really left him, never allowed him to heal. That was his punishment, the charge of sanity. He would, now and forevermore, remember what he did to Ada, and he would eternally regret it.

Myrnin heard a car pull up at the end of his alleyway, and closed his eyes. This could very well be the end, Naomi was not to be underestimated, and she was old enough to dwindle his advantage. Myrnin pulled in one long, completely unnecessary breath and let it out slowly, listening to the footsteps coming toward him. Two pairs and neither were Claire's.

Myrnin gently slid the knife into his pocket. He knew that carrying silver was a risk in itself; it could burn him just as easily as Naomi. But it was a calculated risk, and one he took willingly, for the defence of his queen and his assistant.

Let the battle begin.

**I am astounded by the amount of reviews I got for the first chapter. Thank you, you guys! I'm trying to stick as close to the characters as possible with this, so I'm afraid this probably won't be a Clyrnin fanfic but I'll throw in some action in that direction anyway, just to spice it up and annoy Shane.**

**Don't forget to keep reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Shane's POV**

Michael had dragged us all back into the house, not that it had been easy. Yeah, I got the fact that we probably needed a plan, but I was all for the plan of running after the vamp car as fast as I could and staking the bastards who'd taken Claire. Eve obviously agreed with me.

But Michael had gotten us both inside, god knows how, and locked the door. I felt like I was betraying Claire with every second I stood still, because while I was safe and holed up here, Claire was being held hostage.

Miranda wasn't helping. She was sat with Eve, looking normal and alive what with it being night time, staring into space and muttering gibberish.

"I can't see much. He's fighting, for her, for both of them, and he could win but…he can't, not without losing…maybe…no. It's changing too quickly, not settling. We need to…but we can't. Not yet. Oh Eve, I can't _see_! Nothing is making any sense!"

"Shut up then while we make a plan, okay? I can't think with you gibbering away over there."

Eve shot me a glare for that, but said nothing. Michael looked grateful.

"I'm ringing Amelie. Maybe she can-"

"What? Maybe she can what, Micky? Please don't tell me that you were gonna finish that with help, because believe me, the last thing her Highness is going to do is _help_."

"What else can we do? We don't know where Claire is, or who took her. Until we know that there is _nothing we can do_. Be smart, Shane. Claire wouldn't want us to get ourselves killed."

Eve flinched at that. "You're talking about her as if she's dead." She said in a small voice. She looked pale and scared, but her eyes were fierce and determined, like Michael's. I knew I could count on these guys if the vamps didn't show up.

One person I wasn't expecting to show up was my dad, but there he was. Frank Collins, back to haunt me. I never let on to anyone just how much I hated the guy, the very sight of him made me want to punch something really, really hard.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I growled at him. Eve was glaring, and Michael was inching toward her, to protect her. Even though he technically couldn't do anything to us anymore, my dad still radiated the same violent menace that he always had.

"Figuring something out. Crazy bloodsucker got his knickers in a twist over something, and I'm betting it's got something to do with whoever took Claire."

"Well, if you're asking, we don't know. That's all, you can leave now."

I wasn't in the mood to play games with my dad. I needed to find Claire and get her back, and that was all.

Frank eyed me coolly, thinking. I didn't really care what he thought, so I got up and walked over to where Michael was, knowing that it would annoy my dad, and then turned and looked Miranda square in the eye.

"Can you see _anything_ that is even remotely useful? Anything at all?

Miranda chewed her lip, a movement that I always though was really cute when Claire did it. It made me miss her even more, especially knowing that I couldn't help her.

"You need to listen to your dad. And do as he says."

"Thank you."

Miranda looked surprised at that. I couldn't remember if I'd ever thanked her for saving my life when Magnus had almost killed me. Probably not, but I should have.

"Okay Frank. What's going on because I'm sure you know a hell of a lot more than you're letting on."

Dad smiled.

"Okay son, but remember that you asked, alright? Myrnin wants you to go to the lab. Ever heard of Naomi? Well, she's got Claire and is using her as bait. Now, I don't see Myrnin risking his own ass for hers so you'll probably be wanting to get there pretty quick. I can open a portal if you want."

We all took about 3 seconds to process this before we all started shouting.

"Why the hell didn't you say this before?"

"I thought Naomi was dead!"

"What the actual hell, Frank! I know that you're not exactly helpful, but didn't you think that we might want to know that titbit of information a _little bit_ earlier?" Eve practically hollered, fixing him with her best glare. To his credit, my dad didn't even flinch.

"I've told you now. Should be grateful I told you at all, it'd be much safer for you all to just sit here and let the vamps argue amongst themselves, then strike when they're at their weakest. Time was you understood that, son."

I didn't say anything. I knew that if I opened my mouth, I'd start screaming at him, and right now I didn't have the time. If Naomi had Claire then time wasn't something we had very much of right now. Though I doubted Dad's reasoning about Myrnin protecting her, he had a very different idea of _safe_, and I couldn't be sure that Claire would come home…well, _human_. And I didn't want that for Claire, not at all.

Besides, who'd want to miss out on a great fight? I'd had very few since we'd defeated the draug, and I guess that was probably a good thing. It was kinda boring though.

We picked up our weapons- we hadn't actually put them down yet- and waited for the portal to appear. Michael held Eve's hand and bumped fists with me. The girls didn't really get it, but it said more than a load of emotional bull that we _could_ have said, and it took much less time. I knew he'd have my back, and he knew I'd have his. It was as simple as that.

The portal opened, and I felt the moment of apprehension I always felt before stepping through. Seriously, I remember what happened to all those dog toys. It had taken weeks for Claire to get rid of all that dust.

The scene before us wasn't what I expected at all.

Myrnin was sat on the floor wearing his ridiculous bunny slippers and lab coat. I knew that Claire found it amusing, cute even, but I just though he looked stupid half the time. He was holding Claire cradled in his arms, staring at her face, gently stroking her hair out of her eyes. Blood leaked slowly from the bite in her neck. I froze, blood pounding in my ears, feeling Michael grab hold of mine and Eve's arms to keep us from ripping him into small pieces.

"You're too late."

I wanted to tear him to pieces, but his voice confused me, and I was a fighter. When things don't make sense in a fight, you're probably missing something, and that could cost you your life.

When Magnus had killed Claire, Myrnin had gone…insane. Everything about him had screamed how much it had hurt him, and that had saved his undead life, because I hadn't been able to kill him, knowing that I'd feel no better for it. Now he sounded…smug. Like he was about to get his way.

Suddenly it all made sense. Hideous, horrible sense. I wrenched my arm out of Michael's grip, bruising my muscle on his fingers. I didn't care. The pain was nothing compared to what I felt inside. I ran forwards with my stake, trying to get to them, shouting out my pain and fury. I could hear Eve screaming behind me, Michael shouting for me. I wasn't listening. They didn't get it, hadn't realised what he was about to do.

I was fast, but not fast enough. In one blurred movement, Myrnin had ripped open his wrist with his fangs and pressed the cut against Claire's mouth. He stood then, still holding her in his arms, and kicked a table towards me. I tried to get out of the way, but I slipped. The table hit me, pinning one of my legs with crushing weight, and dropping all the books that had been haphazardly piled on it on top of my head, dazing me. Where were Michael and Eve? Didn't they see what was happening? Were they even _trying_ to help me?

I turned my head to shout at them, but couldn't find my voice. They were just stood there, together. Tears trailed down Eve's face as she watched with endless pity and horror. Michael was holding her, his blue eyes just looked sad. They hadn't even tried, not for me, and certainly not for Claire

I growled as I tried desperately to wriggle free, but it was useless. My leg flared with pain every time I moved it and I could see Myrnin muttering under his breath with his eyes closed, the way he had when he'd saved Claire at Glass House. I was too late and I knew it. I could only watch in horror as Myrnin brought his wrist away from Claire's mouth, grinning triumphantly as she opened her blood red eyes.

**What do you think? Only one review for the last chapter, so thanks to **_Formetoknowandyoutonot_**, and follow her example people! I don't want to turn this into a Shane-melts-down drama because Claire sprouted fangs, so don't worry. Yeah, there's drama, but the story is about the action as well. If you would leave a review with your thoughts so far, that would be lovely, constructive criticism is also very welcome. **


	4. Chapter 4

Claire knew that she was dying. At first it had hurt, when Jason had bitten her, but when she'd fallen it was like the pain had just…slipped away. She couldn't remember whether she cared anymore. She couldn't really remember anything much, only that it was over now. She didn't have to worry anymore. _He_ was with her.

Claire couldn't remember who he was, or why this was a comfort, but that didn't matter. She was dying, after all. A little bit of her was scared, unsure about what to do next. People used to say that you had to 'hang on', or 'don't go towards the light' but there wasn't any light here, only velvety all-encompassing darkness. The last thing she remembered was the familiar feeling of a portal opening, and then she was slipping away, falling back into the darkness.

Even as she was falling, she felt a pang of loss, she didn't really know why anymore. For someone with a lot of experience with dying, Claire wasn't scared as much as she was…regretful. She regretted not having done everything that she'd wanted. She regretted not fighting harder, and she regretted not being able to say goodbye.

In a burst of perfect clarity, Claire remembered fragments of what happened. The expression on Myrnin's face of barely concealed madness as he tried to talk his way around Naomi. The way Jason had held onto her, murmuring his apologies even as his teeth had sank into her throat. She'd been a hostage, she remembered, for Myrnin's good behaviour. They hadn't anticipated the stress driving him over the edge, Claire thought wryly.

And he'd fought, for her. Naomi and Jason had retreated after Myrnin had snapped, and left Claire bleeding on the floor. After that there was nothing but darkness, and the knowledge that this was it- the Glass House couldn't save her now, there was no way for her to come back. She was a goner.

Once she'd remembered, it was like she had something to fight for. She had to _keep_ remembering. Because holding onto the past is what allowed her to have a future, and as long as she was still thinking, she was still here. Still alive. That was a victory in itself, right? So…questions. Claire had always been good at answering questions.

_What did they want?_

Claire tried hard to think, but fogginess was clouding her mind, trying to take her back to the dark. They'd wanted….a machine. One of Myrnin's crazy inventions. Claire never found out what the machine was for, really, only that it had something to do with Frank. She couldn't remember whether Myrnin gave it to them or not, she was too busy trying to talk Jason out of eating her.

"_Claire you have to run. I don't want to hurt you but…I can smell it...I'm so sorry Claire, I didn't mean it, but I had to…she told me to….I'm sorry."_

"_Jason, you don't have to do anything, okay? Listen to me. I can't run if you don't let go of me can I? So you have to let go. You're strong enough, Jason. You can do this."_

"_Claire….I just….I'm sorry."_

And then his teeth had sunk into her throat and things had started to get…confusing. But remembering that was good. It meant that she was still here. But how much longer would she be able to do this for? Claire had no idea how much time had passed since she'd fallen, and Myrnin….Myrnin hadn't been stable, exactly. Claire didn't know whether he was even trying to save her.

And even though he might have killed her, Claire couldn't bring herself to blame Jason. She hoped that someone helped him, that when Amelie inevitably caught Naomi that she didn't punish Jason as well. It hurt, because he'd tried. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. And he'd saved her by taking the bite in the first place. Claire wouldn't forget that, and she hoped that her friends didn't either.

It was getting easier to remember now. Instead of falling it was like she was being lifted. Like someone was opening her eyes. She could hear whispering, but it was too far off to make proper words. It sounded desperate, and familiar, and like it was getting closer and stronger by the second.

"_Claire. You have to come back, Claire. Remember?"_

Myrnin. He was here, with her. But how? Unless Naomi had killed him too, but that wasn't very likely. Claire didn't want to think about the other way. Because in a toss-up between death and vampirism, she didn't really know which one to choose. Not that she particularly had a choice right now. At the Glass House, Myrnin had been able to keep her human by using the power of the house itself to resurrect her. Claire knew that here, there would be now choice. It was death or fangs.

She could see him now, faintly. Holding out his hand towards her. She knew this part. She'd been here before, in this terrible hurricane that seemed intent on dragging her back to the darkness. It would be easy to let go, or it had been last time. But now it was like there was a rope around her, holding her still, keeping her here. _If I stay any longer, I'll go mad_, she thought quietly. The noise was deafening, but silent at the same time; a never ending roar of everything in her ears. The lights seemed to whip past her, unfollowable, making outlines of things but never for long enough to figure out what they were. It was horrible, and she just wanted it to stop.

"_Take my hand, Claire. Please. Everything will be as it was, just take my hand. I'll keep you safe."_

She couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to accept the offer that Myrnin was giving her, not again. She knew the pain of coming back, and she couldn't shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, her time was up, and that it would be wrong to have any more. Claire squeezed her phantom eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the lights and the sound, resigning herself to her fate. For one awful moment, the noise got louder, and Claire felt a flutter of panic. I_s this what dying is like? _But then she couldn't think anymore, every part of her just wanted it to be over. _I'm sorry, Shane. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye._ The sound howled at her, snatching her back to the dark, and then….it stopped.

Claire could feel her body now. Her _real _one. Her senses flooded back to her, filling her world again. She could smell blood, her own and…someone else's. She could feel arms around her and she could hear shouting…Shane?

Claire opened her eyes, and joined the world of the living, for the second time.

**Okay, so I haven't updated in a really long time; sorry about that. I just didn't know whether people were still reading this, and I wasn't sure whether to continue. So please leave a review, so I know whether to keep writing or abandon this as a lost cause. Ta very muchly. **


	5. Chapter 5

"Claire." Shane's voice cracked slightly as he gasped out her name. She couldn't look at him, not with the burning crimson in her eyes. She couldn't look at anyone, certainly not Myrnin. He hadn't even given her a choice! He'd snatched her up, stuffed her back inside her now vampire body, even knowing that she'd chosen to die, for Shane.

But then again, she was kind of glad he had. Kind of. This was her third shot at life, maybe this time she'd get it right.

_Shane_.

Her eyes filled with tears. She could hear him breathing, his heartbeat, the faint rush of blood through his veins, and she could smell him, the distinct scent of his blood, and him, so strong she wondered how she'd ever missed it before. Would he hate her now? Distrust her as much as he had Michael when he turned? And even if he didn't, what would happen? Ten years down the line when Shane wants a family and she can't give him one. Forty years later, when Shane's an old man and Claire's still seventeen. And later, when Shane…passes on…leaving Claire behind altogether. _I'll follow him_, she vowed silently. But would that be enough?

Claire flinched when Myrnin touched her shoulder, pulling away from him. Hurt flashed across his face, swiftly hidden. "You'll need this." He said, holding out a blood bag. He'd warmed it, and she could smell it, but no matter how much her instincts wanted her to sink her fangs into it, she couldn't. It repulsed her.

Her fangs ached, a feeling that both alarmed and terrified her. How did Michael cope with this? She thought wildly, wanting so desperately to rip into the small bag, drain it entirely, but she was going to have to learn self-control, she may as well start now.

"I'm fine." She said. Myrnin's eyebrows knitted together worriedly. "No, you're not. You can't starve yourself, it invites accidents later on. You need this now, there's no point pretending that you don't."

"I said I'm fine." Claire said, more forcefully this time. What she really meant was 'take it away from me before I rip it to shreds in front of Shane', but she couldn't say that.

"Claire." Shane said again, and this time she looked at him. His brown eyes were torn, half way between anguish and elation, and not sure which emotion they were supposed to be showing. He looked so vulnerable, a table pinning his leg to the floor. Michael was holding Eve's hand, edging forward towards Shane, and keeping Eve behind him. Claire understood what he was doing, and she was grateful for it. Myrnin…she had no idea whether Myrnin would let her kill her friends or not, but it would be typical of him to consider it a learning curve to prove his point.

Claire didn't even notice that she was leaning towards Shane until Myrnin grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. She hadn't even been thinking about his blood, just staring at the pain in his eyes and wanting to do something, anything to make it go away. And Shane knew that.

"Hey, dick, let go of her!" he snapped at Myrnin, who just smiled. "Certainly, but I believe the phrase that young people use is 'your funeral'." He said as he let go of Claire. She lunged forward away from him, and then stopped. She'd never moved that fast before, and it scared her. She didn't want to be a vampire any more than she already was.

Human speed, she knelt down beside Shane, lifting the table away from his leg to release him. Shane winced at the pain as he scooted out of the way before Claire let it drop heavily to the ground again. It occurred to her that it wasn't normal that she was able to lift it in the first place- it was far too heavy- but she wasn't thinking about that now.

She couldn't think about anything, except the blood.

Shane's leg was coated in sticky red, oozing slightly from a gash in his thigh and soaking into his jeans. Claire felt like every sense she had was tuned specifically on it, that dark, sinful splash of red. Her eyes felt like they were burning, and her _throat_, her throat was on _fire_. Claire couldn't think about anything else- it consumed her.

_No. I won't let it…I won't…._Claire could barely think above the roar in her ears, the pounding of Shane's accelerated heartbeat sending more and more of that beautiful substance out of his wound.

Claire snapped, scrambling away from Shane, ignoring the hurt in his eyes as she backed away towards Myrnin. She just couldn't help it; she couldn't be _near_ him, not like this. God, how did Michael _stand_ it? She almost felt relieved when Myrnin gently reached out and took her hand, holding her still, stopping her doing anything she shouldn't.

"I'm sorry." She gasped out, tears filling her eyes. "I just can't."

Shane covered the cut, putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding. "Claire, please. I trust you." He said, one hand reaching out towards her.

In the end, it was Michael who saved them, broke the frozen silence. He grabbed Shane's out stretched hand and helped him to his feet, handing one of Eve's black cotton handkerchiefs to press against his cut.

"Give her time. We need to get you cleaned up first, and then get home and sort this out. But not yet. First we have to get you to the hospital. And Shane?" Michael looked at him then, smiling slightly. Claire had no idea what that smile meant, but Shane nodded, and smiled back. Boys. This was why girls would never understand them.

Eve stepped forward, towards Claire and gave her a hug. For a brief second, Claire's senses were assaulted with need and thirst, and then Eve moved away, and grinned. "It's going to be okay. You'll see."

Myrnin pulled Claire back, away from Eve, and sighed. "As touching as this all is, Claire needs to feed, and then we need to see Amelie. She must be warned. So if you'll kindly leave-"

"Like hell are we leaving her here with you." Shane said flatly, "What the hell even happened, leech? You let her _die_."

Myrnin narrowed his eyes a little, looking at Shane as if he were something unpleasant that he'd found on the bottom of his shoe. "There are things far more important than your feelings afoot, boy. Claire needs to remain here, and you and yours need to _leave_, before I do something that I won't regret nearly as much as I should."

"Is that a threat?" Shane said, his voice that quiet question that came before all hell broke loose.

Claire stepped forward, feeling Myrnin's hand briefly tighten on hers before he let go. "Shane, Myrnin didn't hurt me." She said softly, glancing at Eve before continuing, "It was Jason, and Naomi, and we need to tell Amelie what they wanted."

Shane let out an unexpected, mirthless bark of laughter. "Look at you, Claire. You're a vampire, and it's _his_ fault. Don't try and tell me it isn't, because we both know the reason you were picked to be bait and it wasn't for your smarts." He snapped at her.

Michael put his arm around Shane, supporting him so he could walk. "Come on man, you don't want to be saying this."

Claire felt tears beginning to prick her eyes as Eve shot her a sympathetic glance, and added her own force to Michael's to get Shane out.

Shane tried to jerk away from Michael then, and Claire's heart felt like it was breaking. Shane's friendship with Michael had gotten so much better, and now it was like they were back to square one. "And you just let it happen, _man_. You could have stopped it but you didn't." Shane was looking around the room, everywhere except her, his face a wild mixture of betrayal, relief and pain. Claire wanted to reach out to him, to hold him until he calmed down, but she didn't know whether that would do any good, so she stayed frozen, watching him fall apart.

Michael didn't look sympathetic anymore, he looked angry. He let go of Shane to look him square in the eyes, glaring. "So this is my fault now? Listen to yourself, Shane. She would have _died_. Is that really what you wanted?"

Claire watched as the fight went out of Shane. He seemed to deflate, as if his anger was the only thing that was holding him up. He looked away, his eyes focussing on the floor, refusing to look at anyone. There was silence for a moment before he said, "No. I didn't want that. I just…I didn't want it to end like this."

"None of us ever do." Eve said, reaching out and taking his hand. Of all of them, she knew what he was going through better than anyone. Though Michael had chosen to become a vampire, the outcome was still the same, and it wasn't easy for either of them.

"Shane?" The name came out of Claire as almost a sigh but he heard it, turning to look at her properly for the first time since his outburst. Claire stepped towards him slowly, giving him plenty of time to move, back away, or anything. He didn't, and that, more than anything, reassured Claire that everything was going to be alright. Gently, Claire pressed her lips to his in a brief, sweet kiss, before stepping away again.

Shane looked at her with a mixture of pain, love and sadness, but it was the hope that warmed Claire. The hope that everything would be okay again, that things would go back to normal, that they'd get through this.

Because this was Morganville, where things went wrong, vampires fought and humans died, and sometimes, even older enemies reared their ugly heads. But there was always the hope that it would all turn out right in the end, and that was what kept them going.

That was what kept them alive.

**Okay, first of all, sorry that this chapter has been nothing but soppy-ness, but I had to whack it in here somewhere. Once again, thank you to **_NarutoRox_**, who has spammed me into writing again. The next chapter will be a lot more interesting, with actual plot line, I promise, so hey, review this anyway?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Amelie's POV**

I had seen many things in my life that had surprised me, but Claire walking into my office, bloodstained and filthy, should not have been one of them. The fact that she was a vampire, however convenient this may have been for me, was something I was not expecting.

And, for a few moments, I didn't know what to say.

I studied her as she sat down, the way she held herself, moved with deliberate slowness, the tension she carried in her shoulders. She didn't want this. But I could also see the power in her movement, the grace with which she now sat. Myrnin had turned her, and I could smell his mark on her, but his was a powerful line, and this would be quite the gamble. It was clear that this had been something Claire hadn't expected either and she had the typical look of someone who was trying desperately not to cry. I didn't blame her. The blood on her clothes was her own, and her turning couldn't have been swift. I knew what that was like, and I empathised with her.

Myrnin, on the other hand, looked like someone who had finally gotten what they wanted, and didn't know what to do with it. I'd known for some time that the attachment he had formed with Claire was becoming far too strong for my liking. Myrnin was not a safe person to be close to, and the past had taught us what happened when things went wrong.

But none of this told me what exactly _had_ happened, and it was that that I needed to know.

"Explain yourself." I said to Myrnin, leaving no room for negotiation. "Now."

"Explain what exactly, my dear? The fact that little Claire is now a vampire, or the fact that your dear, departed sister is not quite as departed as we had hoped." He said, and I resisted the urge to flash my fangs at him. Myrnin always managed to bring out the vampire in me, find the parts of my character that were neither ladylike nor political, and that either made me want to thank him, or kill him, most often the latter.

"Explain everything, Myrnin, and before I lose my patience." I said witheringly, warning him how close he was to getting himself and Claire excused permanently from my office. I couldn't count the times he'd arrived here- unexpected, without an appointment, and most of the time, without a worthy reason, dragging Claire in tow to make it appear reasonable. This had better not be another of those times.

Myrnin looked at me levelly, and the gravity of the situation began to sink in. It was a sad day when Myrnin was being sane, because it only ever seemed to happen in adversity.

"Naomi attempted to enlist me into her crazy band of cohorts. It seems that she rather got a taste for leadership while you were...otherwise occupied. And she wanted the remote, for the machine." He said, his eyes flickering to Claire before he continued, looking down at his hands. "She had Mr Rosser hold Claire hostage, and when it became apparent that I wouldn't cooperate, he...hurt her." Myrnin finished quietly.

I nodded absently while I took this in. Evidently, my sister had decided that she was strong enough in her own right to strike out against me; else she would not have attacked my two most valuable subjects. Naomi rarely acted out of desperation or impatience, preferring the subtle deception and long games. I knew her well enough to predict her, but that could also be a disadvantage- because she knew me just as well.

Claire fidgeted a little, and it was clear that she had something to say. It was strange to see her like this, so much more physically strong than she ever had been, but without the natural predatory air that most vampires had. I supposed it would come in time, but a strange, small part of me wished it wouldn't. Claire was good, so much better than most, and it would be a sad thing to watch that crumble, as it inevitably would.

I inclined my head, allowing her to speak.

"I just...Jason didn't mean to. When you catch him, I just wanted you to know that it wasn't his fault. None of it was." She said, her voice getting stronger as she got back on home ground, so to speak.

Myrnin hadn't been expecting that, and I watched the feral red swirl in his eyes at the mention of the Rosser boy. It was bizarre, how one human could get in so much trouble in such a short life. Born out of step with everyone else, unable to function properly in the world. It was sad, in a way, but I'd seen it enough to know that it wouldn't get better, and the only thing to do was to put them down, like a mad dog, so they couldn't cause anymore problems. Claire would doubtless hate me if she knew what I was thinking, but I was the queen here; I didn't need, or invite, her friendship, only her loyalty, and that I had.

Still, I nodded, allowing her relief for a short while. It was a mercy, one that she, of all people, deserved.

"Very well. Claire, go home. Speak nothing of what happened to your friends. I will personally ensure that your files are amended, as well as other matters regarding your new position. I will also rearrange your classes and work schedule. You will still be employed by Myrnin; nothing has changed in this regard." I pressed the intercom button on my desk and spoke into the small microphone to the reception. "Bizzie, please arrange transport for Miss Danvers to Glass House immediately."

Claire nodded and stood up. She still looked shaken, and a strange and unexpected surge of protectiveness flowed through me. The time had come when I could afford Claire the position of trust she had earned in this town, but not yet. For now, I would allow her to heal from the ordeal, give her time enough to learn that it was not in fact a tragedy, but a new beginning.

The door closed behind her, and I turned to Myrnin, knowing my face showed nothing of my emotions, only cool competence. "You didn't have my permission, Myrnin." I said, knowing how cold my voice sounded. I had gone to a lot of effort to ensure that only I could willingly turn humans into vampires; I had killed all who had threatened to share their knowledge, allowed only choice few, such as Myrnin, to survive. This was my insurance, something that stopped my enemies killing me outright. I couldn't allow Myrnin to flaunt this without punishment, but at the same time, it had to have been done, and there wasn't time to inform me. I was not so blind as to see that Myrnin would have done it even if his own life was forfeit- his attachment to little Claire had become quite serious.

Myrnin regarded me coolly, reminding me how much older and more physically powerful than me he was, before going back to his position as friend. "Of course, Founder."

I didn't let it slip that easy. "Myrnin, she is your responsibility now. And should any...mishaps occur, you will be held entirely accountable." I said frostily.

It did not have the desired effect.

Myrnin grinned like he'd just won the lottery, and stood up before practically scraping the floor in one of his elaborate bows.

"My lady." He said before sweeping out through the door, leaving me wondering on what exactly I had done.

So I called the only other person I could who would be able to assist me.

"Oliver." I said, without preamble or introduction. "We have a problem."

**Just a short chapter, but I'll actually update soon this time (bring on the Christmas Holidays, two weeks with nothing to do!)**

**Please review despite my horrible delay in update.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Claire's POV**

Claire climbed out of the car and walked up the steps with deliberate slowness. She knew that she could go faster, if she wanted to, but for the first time since moving here, Claire didn't feel like going home. Because Shane was in that house, and Claire had no idea whether he hated her yet or not.

There wasn't a lot of noise coming from the Glass House. Claire stood outside the door, listening, trying to figure out where everybody was, what they were doing, or saying, about her. A small part of her registered that it was severely abnormal for her to be able to hear the heartbeats of two of her housemates, and smell the presence of the third. They were in the secret room in the attic, though she had no idea how she could hear that- it was supposed to be completely sound proof, even to vampires.

"-you didn't do anything Michael. You could have stopped it, and we could have gotten her to hospital-"

"Shane, this isn't about you! Claire would have died. There aren't any what-if's, she would have died, and it would have been our fault. Don't pretend that you don't know that." Claire could hear the anger in Michael's voice, and gathered that this was a repeat of an old conversation already. As Claire made her way up the stairs through the house to the secret attic, she tried to prepare herself for the worst. It was very possible that Shane wouldn't want to see her anymore, that he would want her to move out. She tried to pretend that it was all going to be okay, that she would move on, get better, but she knew she wouldn't. She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't live at Glass House with Eve, Shane and Michael.

The sound of their voices increased in volume as Claire stepped through and started on the stairs inside the secret door. She didn't even notice the silent, predatory steps she took, the way that even Michael couldn't hear her coming. It just didn't register as anything but normal now.

"Shane, calm the hell down." Eve said, sounding as pissed as Michael had. "You can't do anything about it, and it doesn't matter what you think we should have done- we didn't. This is our lot now, and you'd better bet your ass that you are going to be good by Claire and help her through this, because if you don't, I will shove a stake _so_ far-"

"Hey, guys." Claire said, stepping up that last few stairs and into view.

Eve lowered her accusingly pointing finger with a startled squeal before practically flying at Claire, enveloping her in a tight Goth hug. Claire stiffened, deliberately breathing out through her nose to try and ignore the scent of Eve's blood, but that didn't stop her being able to hear her pulse, elevated with her anger, and see the thin, almost translucent membrane over her veins at her neck. She must have made a noise, because Eve stepped back, blushing a little bit.

"Sorry. I forgot." She mumbled, pink rising under the white Goth pale make-up. It didn't exactly help the situation, but Claire stood rigid, refusing to move an inch, because if she did, she would probably attack Eve.

Eve stepped back, reaching out behind her for Michael's hand as he reached for hers. They didn't have to look to find each other, and it was a weird comfort that they were that close. It gave Claire a strange, sad hope that maybe, just maybe, she and Shane weren't over yet.

She looked at his stiff stance, the tension in his shoulders as he stared at her with wounded, scared eyes. It that moment, they were both so utterly breakable that if either of them had said the wrong thing, they would have both shattered. And it was a terrible, terrible thought that what Claire was about to say would do just that.

"Shane, I-"

"No. Claire, just stop." He said, gently, but firm. Claire felt like she was teetering on the edge of some deep, dark abyss. She didn't know what was at the bottom, or whether Shane was going to pull her back or push her straight over. She didn't want to find out.

Pre-emptive tears welled up and she hated herself for them. She saw Eve shoot a don't-you-dare-break-her-heart glare at Shane, and Michael wrap and arm around her shoulders, leading her out of the way. Claire was grateful. As much as she loved Eve, this was meant to be private.

It would make it easier to cope, either way.

And yet as Shane floundered for words, and Claire's died in her throat, watching Eve and Michael retreat down the stairs felt like being stranded on a deserted island, and watching a ship's lights slowly dip off the horizon. She nearly called them back, but there was resolve in Shane's eyes now. She was out of time.

"I think...we need to wait." He said, frowning as it didn't come out the way he'd meant. "What I mean is, this is brand new, Claire. And I don't know how to deal with it right now." He stepped closer, and slowly took her hand, a shiver running through him when she wasn't as warm as she should have been. Claire swallowed the lump in her throat, torn between bawling her eyes out and begging him to stay with her. She did neither.

"So, you're saying that you're breaking up with me." She said, and her voice sounded flat and dead even to herself.

"No! I'm saying the opposite. I'm saying we need time to get used to this, and then decide what the hell we're going to do about it." Shane gently cupped her face in his hands, tilting it up to look into her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. He wiped away the moisture with his thumbs, and took a deep breath.

"I still love you, Claire. But this changes a lot. And I- we- need time to deal, okay? So business as usual. And we'll make up our minds when we do."

Relief swept through Claire like a tidal wave, and her knees felt weak from the sudden release of pressure.

"You don't hate me?" she asked, and felt stupid the moment it left her mouth. Shane smiled, and it was sad and broken, but it was there.

"I hate Myrnin, and I hate Jason and Naomi, and even Michael a little bit right now. But I don't hate you, Claire. It wasn't your fault."

Shane pulled Claire into his arms, and she rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat, and relishing in the fact that she didn't feel the urge to bite him at all.

**Oliver's POV**

Being summoned like a school boy to Amelie's office was something that always bothered me, though less now than in the early days, when every second spent in her presence was a trial of my self control. Still, it diminished any command my presence held when I was forced to wait at the secretary's desk while she informed Amelie that I'd arrived, and it bothered me.

Bizzie tapped away at her computer for a second, and without me hearing any reply turned to me and nodded me through. I'd never like Bizzie. She was Amelie's creature, through and through, and we'd had our own tiffs over the years. So being informed that I was _permitted_ to see the woman who had called me here was doing nothing to improve my already dark mood. I had been quite busy, doing the invoices for Common Grounds. Now I would have to continue my work tomorrow.

I could only hope that Amelie had a good enough reason for bringing me here.

As usual, she did.

"Sit down, Oliver." She said, her voice tight and controlled. Only one who had known her over centuries would see the agitation in the way she smoothed out the front of her skirt, brushing out invisible creases. Amelie's appearance, and indeed her personality, was as frosty as ever was a queen. I'd known her long enough that even the slight signs were virtually neon beacons of trouble to come, trouble that she would ride out as easily as any storm- with an iron will and the assurance of a natural born leader.

I held my tongue of the biting remark that I had planned and waited.

"Oliver, how long did you know my sister?" she asked finally, meeting my eyes with her cool grey gaze. "Only since moving here. Naomi was a queen in her own right; we never sought each other out." I smiled, remembering the first encounter between Amelie and myself. She'd wanted to be a queen. To overthrow her father and take everything she could from him at the tender age of twelve. And she nearly did, too, with my help. "She preferred her own creatures to do her dirty work."

Amelie smiled thinly, maintaining her facade of the capable ruler. "Then you will not know how hard she is to kill." She said, and there was determination in her steely eyes. I admired her for it, though I would never tell her that. No, we were best left as we were: a challenge to each other. We were stronger that way.

"Many tried, in the older days. She has a cold mind, and it unsettled most who knew her well enough to see it. Our truce with each other came at the common enemy of my father. We fought together against him, rolled him into his grave together. I believed her dead for a time shortly after that, but she came when Morganville was built. I had long believed her if not an ally, at least not a threat either. She seemed content for many years, but appearances can be misleading. Her actions of the last few hours will have taken careful and precise preparation and planning." Amelie sighed, turning her gaze onto a candle flame flickering on her desk. "She attacked Claire today." She murmured.

I had remained silent throughout Amelie's memory of the past, the surprise at Naomi's survival when I'd done my best to ensure otherwise was unnerving. I had not shared much of her account with her- we had been at odds since her schemes no longer required a revolutionary- but an attack on the Danvers girl was... interesting. I had long known the strange amount of trust that the girl had invested in her, trust she would one day be powerful enough to use to great effect. It was no secret that she would never leave this town, and there was very little doubt that she would be allowed to wither and die as humans did. Amelie was nothing if not pragmatic about her assets, and Claire wasn't a pawn any longer.

None of that explained what could possibly be gained from attacking her. She knew nothing of use to an enemy, and could not be used as a hostage-

Well, that was not strictly true.

"To what end?" I asked, already really knowing the answer.

"Leverage, over Myrnin. The device was taken, but it was modified before then. There is now only one destination, though Naomi is perfectly capable of realising a trap. There is a watch posted at the co-ordinates." She answered, her eyes narrowing. "I will need you there, to ensure that this time, Naomi is brought to _me_ for punishment, and not left to the mercy of those who do not know her ways."

I nodded, standing up to leave, already thinking about how to capture one of Morganville's most elusive convicts. I had given the order for her execution, and it had seemed that leaving her to the draug was perhaps the surest way of ensuring it. Evidently not.

My hand was on the door when Amelie spoke again from behind me. "One more thing, Oliver. You didn't ask how Claire was, but you should be informed." I stayed facing away from her, only my stillness a sign that I was listening. I didn't particularly care whether Claire was in hospital or not; that was what happened when you befriended a madman. "Claire is now a vampire." She said, and I could hear the slight triumph in her voice. Myrnin was not the only vampire to form an attachment to the girl- even I respected her, though I didn't care for her friends.

This would suit us very well indeed.

I didn't acknowledge Amelie in any way, other than to leave her office, striding past Bizzie without so much as a glance in her direction. I was bored with the peace after the draug. There was a good fight on the horizon now, and it couldn't come soon enough.

And as for Claire, I had said it before, and my opinion hadn't changed. She'd become a powerful vampire in time, and I could only hope that if the time came that she would have to chose sides in this war, that she would remember which side she belonged to now.

**Okay. Many of you will look at this and perhaps some distant bells fathoms deep will ring a little, and you'll think 'I'm sure I've read this before somewhere'. I'm sorry it's been so long (months) but I genuinely forgot about it. I promise to update more regularly now, and I apologise so, so much.**

**Leave a review anyway, even if it's telling me how much of an idiot I am. Danke :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Claire's POV**

Claire woke up to a peculiar burning sensation across her shin. It felt like lying in the 40 degree sun with black trousers on, a sort of almost painful discomfort. For a second, Claire didn't know what was going on, but then she remembered.

It hurt.

Claire snatched her leg under the duvet and out of the rectangle of sunlight slanting across her room. She hadn't closed her curtains the night before, she realised. She wasn't used to having to.

Claire slid off the mattress into the shade on the other side of the bed absently noting her thrumming headache and sore throat, and closely inspected her leg. It felt a little bit warm to the touch, but there wasn't any sign of it, not even the faint sunburnt look that Michael got if he went outside on that sprinted dash to his car when Eve forgot to park in the alley. She remembered the runner from Blacke, Graham, who'd been unusually tolerant to sunlight. Maybe she was the same.

For some reason, it made tears threaten in the backs of her eyes. Thinking of sunlight, and summer, and all the things that she could no longer do. Claire had never really been one for sunbathing- she was too fair to tan much- but it was different to know that you couldn't. Being _tolerant_ was a far cry from being free.

There soft footsteps came up the stairs along with the smell of coffee, but there was no heartbeat, so Claire knew it was Michael before he knocked on the door and poked his head around.

"Morning." He said cautiously as he stepped through, sporting Claire's favourite mug- a chipped and battered one with a picture of her, Eve, Michael and Shane printed on the side. Eve had gotten a voucher with the passport photo she'd had printed, and had bought it as a random gift to Glass House. Claire liked it because it was one of the rare photos of everyone smiling properly, without pulling silly faces or bunny ears behind someone's head.

Michael perched on the edge of the bed and surrendered the coffee. "How are you feeling?" he asked, not mentioning that she was hiding in the shadows of her own bedroom because the sun was up. But then, he'd already been through all this. He already knew what it felt like to realise that you weren't a part of humanity any more.

That you never would be again.

"Great." Claire said, trying to keep the sarcasm and fear out of her voice.

Michael smiled faintly, and Claire wondered how he was coping. "Yeah." He said. "Me too."

The silence hung for a bit. Claire could hear the sound of Shane making breakfast downstairs, and smell the bacon and eggs that used to be all it took to get her out of bed in the morning. It still smelled the same, but there was much less of a draw when you knew that it wasn't going to make you feel any less hungry. She could hear Eve in the shower, her muttered curse when she dropped the vanilla scented soap in the tub and her cheerful, completely out of tune humming. Though Michael didn't have a heartbeat, she was aware of him in a way that she wasn't before. Part of her was telling her that he was competition, that she could beat him in a fight if it came to it. She didn't think that was very likely, but that's what her instincts told her.

And it scared her, and thrilled her, and she didn't really know what she was supposed to do anymore.

Michael smiled sadly and put his arm around her, pulling her into a gentle, brotherly hug and kissing the top of her head. "You'll get used to it Claire. It'll take a while, but eventually it won't seem such a bad thing. It'll be a part of who you are."

"Are you used to it?" she asked, hating how small and childish she sounded, asking for help. Michael hadn't acted like this when he'd been turned; he'd climbed straight in a car and rescued Shane, or tried at least. _But Michael chose this_, she reminded herself. _You didn't_.

"Sometimes. But everyone changes, CB. It's just a little bit more literal for us. We're still the same people we were before." Claire thought of Michael with blood red eyes, his fangs clamped into Eve's throat, and shivered. Yes, they were still the same people, but not all the time.

Sometimes, they would just be vampires.

Michael left when a worrying burning smell drifted up from the kitchen and they could hear Shane's curses getting louder and more colourful. He paused by the door on the way out, then pulled his sleeve over his hand and yanked Claire's curtains shut, hissing a little when the sun hit a patch of unprotected skin.

He flashed her his rock star smile, and ducked out of her room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Claire got changed quickly, and was coming down the stairs with deliberate slowness when someone knocked at the door.

"I've got it!" Shane hollered as he came into the hall from the parlour, his voice dropping abruptly when he saw Claire on the stairs. A strange looked passed through his eyes, but he smiled, and it was genuine. "Sorry. Didn't hear you coming."

Shane continued to the door, blocking it from Claire's view as he opened it. Vampirism, it seemed, had not made her any taller.

But that meant she didn't see who was there before Shane made a choked noise and slammed it shut.

"Shane-"

"Don't answer the door, Claire."

"But who-"

"Just _don't_." He said, his hands on his shoulders, looking into her eyes. Claire tried not to focus on the veins at his necks, the pain in her throat flaring up again. "Please."

"_Claire_?" Myrnin's muffled voice drifted through the thick wooden door. Claire's eyes flickered to it, and then back to Shane. He hadn't heard it.

"_Claire, listen to me. Go upstairs. I need to speak to you _alone." Claire nodded without thinking, but Shane smiled and released her, thinking her agreement was for him. "Come on. I've made breakfast." His smile became a little bit strained. "And Michael's got some...er-." He trailed off, but Claire knew what he was talking about. The black opaque sports bottles in the back of the fridge were for her as well now.

Claire nodded again, not trusting her voice. If she'd still been human, she was certain that she'd be a faint green colour now, but she wasn't. That made lying to him easier.

"I just need to go upstairs. I'll be back in a minute." She said, keeping her voice level. She didn't want to get Shane involved until she knew what was going on. But she'd tell him later, she promised him silently.

Shane smiled again, and kissed her forehead chastely. It was awkward and sweet, because she was so much shorter than him, but it made her feel warm and loved that after everything, he was trying.

Claire made her way up the stairs, concentrating hard on moving at human speed, trying not to ruin the moment. She could hear him in the kitchen, hear the insults that him and Eve threw at each other over the somewhat blackened nature of the bacon, and Michael trying (not too hard) to keep the peace. It was strange to be able to hear everything in the house and it made her wonder how many of the private conversations Michael had heard in his time both as a ghost and a vampire. It was a very lonely position to be in.

Myrnin was inspecting a light bulb in the attic when she arrived, his face as close to the thing as he could get without going completely cross eyed.

"You'll hurt your eyes." She said pointlessly. They both knew that whatever damage he was doing was in no way permanent, and wouldn't be for either of them anymore.

"Are you going to tell me why you haven't eaten yet, or am I expected to guess?" he replied, completely ignoring her comment. Claire cringed at the unwanted urges and thoughts that his words put in her head. Ripping into a blood bag with fangs extended. The rich, sinful taste as it slid down her throat.

It made her feel sick.

Myrnin spun around to face her. "Claire. It will do you no good at all to starve yourself. You need it now, so accept that. Otherwise there will be accidents in the long run that you will regret for a very, very long time, believe me." Myrnin sounded pissed, which was something Claire hadn't expected. It was none of his business whether she fed or not.

"Myrnin, I don't see how any of this is up to-"

"You are not _thinking_, Claire! Are you so blinded by your thoughts of that boy that you are going to let yourself weaken and whither until you crumble to your instincts and kill him? Because that is what will happen, I promise you."

Claire felt like she'd been slapped in the face, and she stepped back dizzily losing her balance a little. She'd already thought of that, of course. Had nightmares about it; regaining control to find Shane's drained body in front of her. But Shane wouldn't let her get that close. He'd kill her first.

Claire knew that Myrnin had thought the same thing that she had, and his expression soured. "I didn't save you to watch you die by inches all over again." He said softly.

Claire snapped. "Then why did you save me? Because I didn't ask for it. In fact, I think I did the exact opposite, or are you forgetting that I _didn't want to be saved_!" she screamed at him, the suppressed emotions that she'd been hiding from everyone, including herself, brimmed over, and tears stung her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. Everything in her life had changed overnight, and she didn't really know how to deal with it, so she just hadn't. She hadn't thought about feeding, or the horror and depression of being turned against her will. She hadn't let herself think about anything that could possibly loop back to how changed her life was now, because it just hurt too much.

But she was damn well thinking about it now.

Claire sank back against the wall, her hands pressed to her mouth to try and hold back the sobs. It worked, and after a while she actually felt better. Less like a tangled ball of emotions and more like a person again. A tired, spent and shivery person.

Myrnin hadn't moved, and Claire jumped a little bit when he unfroze, walking across the room with slow tentative steps before standing directly before her.

"Neither did I." He whispered, and it took her a second to realise that he was answering her. "But I couldn't let you go just yet. I am sorry for that." He gently lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it briefly before letting go. "But you must feed. Promise me." He said, catching her face in his hands and tilting it upwards to look into her eyes.

Claire felt dizzy. The thought of blood was making her feel both ill and hungry, and she felt weak and exhausted from the crying. Part of her wanted to agree with Myrnin and go straight down stairs and open up a bottle, but most of her wanted to curl up on the floor and go to sleep.

"Claire?" she watched Myrnin's lips form her name, but she felt like she was stood in another room trying to hear him. There was growing alarm in his brown eyes. Claire began to tilt sideways, closing her eyes to the world as it slowly turned grey, and then black.

**Stopping it there because the word count was 1996, which incidentally is the year I was born.**

**Thank you to everyone who hasn't given up on this story; please leave a review, and ideas are very welcome. I have no idea where to go much from here.**


	9. Chapter 9

We were in the kitchen burning things. Well, Shane was, and I was trying to rescue the blackened corpses of bacon from the bottom of the frying pan. I was not hopeful, and neither of the boys were being helpful in the slightest.

Michael heard the clattering upstairs first, but you didn't need to be a vampire to hear the banging of something on the stairs, slowly getting closer and speeding up.

For a moment, we all just stood and listened, trying to figure out what it was, then we moved into action; I switched off the hob under the frying pan and Michael and Shane ran to the bottom of the stairs, shouting for Claire. They didn't really have to shout. Claire had better hearing than even Michael, but she wasn't replying. And that could be a very bad thing. I paused by the fridge to pick up one of the black sports bottles filled with O negative. I had a bad feeling that we'd need it.

The banging was due to a fist sized rock, clomping down the hard wooden stairs slowly. It was such a bizarre image that I nearly giggled as it rolled to a stop at our feet, polished smooth on one side with a series of strange symbols scratched into it.

I suddenly didn't find it quite so funny.

Shane swore and leapt up the stairs three at a time, Michael blurring after him, scooping up the black canvas bag full of weapons that they kept in the hall on the way.

I scrambled up as fast as I could, but I only made it to the landing to see the back of Michael's head disappear through the secret door into the attic, and fought a shiver. As much as I loved the _idea_ of the little Gothic secret room, I would never understand how no one was _not_ creeped out in it.

I was right about the trouble.

The scene in the attic gave me massive _déjà vu_ of when we'd found Claire yesterday; she was passed out and pale in Myrnin's arms, her lips smeared with red, eyelashes fluttering slightly. Myrnin's face was tight and worried, and he was focussed completely on Claire, even as he started talking to us.

"The blood. Give it to me." He snapped, holding out his hand as if he fully expected us to follow his orders.

He turned his head sharply and we could all see the thinly veiled madness in his eyes; this was hurting him. Badly.

"She needs human blood _now_, or she will _die_. Or do you still wish that was the case?" he hissed at us all. For an uncomfortable moment, I saw a glimpse of the raw strength of his feelings for Claire, and I knew that I wasn't the only one.

Shane made a choked noise, and I saw the rigid set of his shoulders as he tried not to attack Myrnin with everything he had. But even I could see the state Claire was in; at least Myrnin sounded like he knew what to do about it.

I stepped forward and placed the bottle in Myrnin's outstretched hand. He wrenched the top off and sliced open his wrist, allowing a small trickle to flow into the bottle before closing, shaking and putting it to Claire's lips. Shane started forward, but both Michael and I lunged at him, Michael pinning his arms to his sides in an almost-hug hold.

"_God_, not again." Shane whispered. He was pale and tense, but he didn't fight Michael.

Myrnin was murmuring to Claire softly in a foreign, musical language. "_Dewch nawr, ychydig o adar. Mae'n rhaid i chi yfed. Rhaid i chi gael gryf unwaith eto, fy annwyl. Os gwelwch yn dda. I mi." _ I didn't want to listen, really. It seemed private and personal, but that was wrong on so many levels. It was Claire, and Myrnin, and I would always stomp on that bug.

"Hey! Are you going to tell us what's going on?" I snapped. He ignored me, dipping his voice but still whispering to Claire, who had finished with the bottle, but still wasn't fully conscious. She was moaning a little, but there was more colour in her cheeks than there had been before. We'd all assumed that her pallor was because she was a vampire now, and had been steadily ignoring it, trying not to think about it. It had never triggered that it wasn't normal for a vampire either, and maybe it should have.

"Oi. Nutty McFang. I'm _talking_ to you." I knew that I sounded shaky and more than a little bit scared, but I tried to hide it under a fresh layer of sass and sarcasm and biting remarks. I wasn't going to let it get to me that it was our fault that Claire nearly didn't last a day. I couldn't. I would break.

"Maybe if you were less concerned about what I am doing, and your own dramas, you would have noticed that Claire had not fed. Not once. And most likely to please _you_." He shot Shane a venomous look, and surprisingly, Shane bent under it, ducking his head a little. He looked guilty and a little bit green, whether with nausea or jealousy, I would probably never know. It took some getting used to, knowing that your other half drank blood.

I lie. You never got used to it. You just got better at dealing with it. Shane would have to man up like I had.

Myrnin stood, still holding Claire's tiny form in his arms. An unwanted thought crept into my head; they were so similar in that second- brainy, beautiful and broken. It was easy to see why everything was so complicated, but just for a second. Then I went back to _you're-are-not-leaving-here-with-Claire-you-preten tious-vampire-jerk_ mode.

"Okay, stop. Now!" I snapped when he ignored me.

"Claire needs to rest. I am taking her to her room, if I may have permission to do so?" he replied with cold sarcasm. I cringed inwardly. "Oh. Well, good." Inspiring, Eve. Truly sublime.

As he left, Shane tried to follow him, but Michael held him back. We could both see the desperation there, and neither of us was sure what he would do with it.

"Let me go, man. I just don't want her to be on her own with him." Michael held his grip for a second, meeting my eyes. I nodded, and he let go. We watched Shane go, his shoulders tight with tension as he jumped down the last few steps to save time. This would be hard on him; harder that the original problem, because it was clear that we weren't doing enough for Claire, and the Myrnin was.

And that he'd do whatever it took, even if it meant taking her away.

"Is this our fault?" I asked Michael quietly. I felt guilty and scared- Claire had seemed so much better last night that I hadn't wanted to force anything on her. Yeah, she'd been pale, but vampires were, and we weren't exactly used to her being one. And okay, she was a little bit shaky, but she'd just been held hostage and then brutally murdered by my brother.

I shivered at the thought. Claire hadn't said anything really about it, but I already hated the bastard. Did he have to try and ruin _everything_ in my life?

Michael froze, then shook his head. "It's not your fault Eve. But I should have realised." I started to interrupt him; Michael had a bad habit of taking every fault on himself; but he stopped me with a brief kiss. "I'm a vampire, Eve. I know what it's like, and what's normal. And Claire definitely wasn't it. I just..." he looked over my head at nothing in particular. "I just wished that she'd talk to me about it before she decided to starve herself."

I leant into him, feeling better already when he wrapped his arms around me and held me closer. "I don't think she did. I think that she was just trying to avoid it for as long as she could. And Myrnin seemed pretty surprised. I don't think he would have waited that long if he was expecting it to be that dangerous." I winced a little at the truth of that, and the fact that I was casually discussing the feelings of my already-romantically-involved best friend's _boss_. What was my life coming to?

Michael sighed, absently rubbing my back between my shoulder blades while he thought.

"We should probably get down there. Try and stop Shane killing him." There was no confusion over which _him_ was in question- I had no idea when Myrnin decided he had the right to turn up at our house without warning, or even being let in.

And though I was grateful that he'd saved Claire's life, I really couldn't cope with it long term if he kept breaking in, even if he used magical Portals to do it.

**Shane's POV**

Claire's bedroom door was shut, but I didn't bother knocking. I didn't want to give Fangy McNut in there the impression that I had to ask permission to enter my girlfriend's room in our own house.

I tried so hard not to comment on the fact that he'd drawn up a chair to sit next to and hold the hand of my unconscious Claire lying on her bed, but really. It just wasn't right.

"I think I can take it from here." I snapped

He looked at me with thinly veiled contempt. "Clearly. And that is why Claire is lying half dead in her bed, only quite so alive because of me." He reached out deliberately and tucked a flyaway strand of her hair behind her ear. She stirred a little, her eyelids fluttering, before relaxing back into sleep. She looked pale and still, her lips and eyelids almost blue, as if she was verging on hypothermia.

And it was my fault.

Because in a way Myrnin was right; we hadn't done anything for Claire by ignoring her new fangled vampirism. It wasn't going to go away if we pretended it wasn't there, and I knew that now.

I bit back my retort and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it to prove that I could, and also to buy me time as I counted to ten in my head and tried oh so very hard not to punch Myrnin in his self righteous face.

"How long before she wakes up?" I asked, quietly, so as not to disturb Claire. She looked so much younger when she was asleep, and it scared me, because she also looked so much more fragile and breakable.

And easily mislead.

"She will wake when she is ready. And then she will need blood." He said, his eyes staring into mine. There was so little humanity in there, it was surreal. It was exactly like looking into the eyes of another species, a wild animal that didn't feel the emotions we did.

But when he looked back at Claire, that changed. And I hated him for it. Because even if she didn't see it, even if it was a very different kind of love to what we humans felt, he still loved her, and he still wanted her, and I couldn't let him have her.

Because I couldn't lose Claire. Not again.

**Jason's POV**

The alleyway was dark and cold, and I was up to my ankles in trash and junk that had been washed in by the draug. I was also fairly sure there was a dead animal further down, because the place _stank_.

The light was dim enough that I could leave here now, if I wanted to. If I was _allowed_ to. The psycho-bitch had been very clear with my instructions. Wait for Oliver to leave, and contact her. She wouldn't do the waiting herself, oh no. That was my sorry ass job. And I hated it, and I hated her, and at the moment, I hated everyone. Vampirism was meant to solve my problems, not make them worse. I was still in the pocket of a high and mighty vamp queen anyway, so why had I bothered? Things might have turned out better for me if I'd just let them have Claire. At least she would have been _nice_ to me.

I smirked invisibly in the shadows at the mental image of Claire's relieved expression when I'd taken her place. Never before had anyone been so pleased to see me.

The sky was beginning to cloud over, darkening the sunset from red and orange to purple and grey. It suited my mood better, but the faint drizzle and crackle pop feel of the storm pressured air didn't make me feel any better. I knew from watching Eve how late Oliver stayed at Common Grounds most nights of the week- he would be the last to leave after it closed at midnight. And I had four more hours at least, in which I physically couldn't move from this spot. My life sucked in every way imaginable.

And there was absolutely naff all I could do about it, because Naomi owned me. And I would do everything she said, no matter how much it hurt.

I could still taste Claire's blood on my tongue; I could still hear her trying to tell me I was worth something, that I was strong enough to do the right thing. Bollocks. I'd killed her in the end. Naomi had told me they were after my head now, and I'd had to stay in a cold miserable basement cell for God knows how long until she needed me again.

Because I'd killed the only person who'd ever given a damn, and I didn't really feel any different about it.

**Okay, you all know the drill. Review with criticism/ideas/thoughts/whatever-the-hell-you-lik e. Thank you to all the people who are still reading this, and hey, I've updated! And I didn't forget about it! And better yet, I will actually be able to continue my streak of regular updating because I am on study leave, the Education Board's wonderful excuse to stop teaching us just before we take our last exams! Yay!**

**Okay, I lie. I'm loving study leave. I'm just not studying. I'm writing for you guys instead which, though great fun, is not going to make me any better at Physics. :) **


End file.
